Genetics
by serena-tsukino66
Summary: I know in my heart that you are mine, but where did you come from? Pink hair...Red eyes...
1. Pink and Red

**Aaagh! I shouldn't be doing this! Here is Chapter One to Genetics, which is based off a little comic I made on DeviantArt (with the same name). I should be updating my other stories, I should be, I should be, I should be…but the muse needs to wake up…**

**I own neither Sailor Moon nor Bleach, but if I did I wouldn't need to write this, ha-ha.**

* * *

><p>"<em>She doesn't even look like me. Did you really think you could trick me into believing she's mine?"<em>

Perhaps he was right. No one on either side of their families had pink hair-that much of his family he knew despite the accident that killed his parents…and those eyes… While it was true their lives were anything but 'normal', it is 'normal' to look a little like your parents…isn't it?

Pink hair…red eyes…

Pink was unnatural even considering her and her scouts' origins.

Red was uncommon, as well, but not unheard of.

He had truly hurt her this time. Sure he'd done so before when he'd broken up with her because of dreams sent to him by his future self, but this time was final.

Usagi had felt their relationship dwindling for some time, but she tried to hold on for the sake of 'destiny'. She tried to hold on for Chibi-Usa. The bright eyed child had called him father—him and the him from the future. How could he say she couldn't possibly be of his flesh and blood? He was being illogical.

He had to be her father, he had to be!

He walked away. He'd finally walked away, wanting nothing to do with either of them. He was leaving the next day for America to pursue his studies. Clearly, he wished to be far, far from her presence. It was as if she had already become pregnant and flat out told him he wasn't the father.

She was on the verge of more tears. She was alone now, and the child she was meant to have did not have a future anymore. While it was true she was a bit young to be a mother, she'd had a taste of it when the little girl from the future had literally fallen into her life. Ultimately, she'd loved every moment.

Rolling over and taking her face out of the soaked pillow it had been squished into, she languidly got off her bed. She stared at the small bunnies adorning various objects around the room. They held a type of joy for her ever since she was young.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she toyed with the cross necklace around her neck, thinking of her brother. Her favorite bunny—a gift from him—sat on a special shelf in plain sight, only touched to remove dust or when she needed a hug. Unfortunately, the stuffed rabbit just wouldn't do this time.

Slowly she exited the room, making her way down the stairs, passing by the kitchen. Shingo looked up from his sandwich upon seeing her out and about after she'd bolted up the stairs into her room the moment she entered the house.

"What's the matter with you, Meatball Brain?" He always called her that, and even though he meant nothing by it, it was still an insult. His quirk of a smile faded at the void look in her eyes.

"Tell my mom I'm going to Minako's," Usagi spoke with no emotion. "Then I'm going home."

With that said, she left the house and the younger teen in silence.

Her mind was blank, only thinking of her destination. Her feet moved of their own volition down the path she'd walked so many times before.

* * *

><p>It didn't take much time for the dam holding her emotions inside to burst as her blonde friend opened her door to her.<p>

"He did it for real this time, Minako!" She choked, throwing herself into Minako's arms. Minako knew Usagi could feel the love that they'd shared was gone, and she'd told her that if the day came, her shoulder was ready to be cried on.

The hysterical rabbit continued, "And Chibi-Usa…she..." Her words died en route. The severity hit her harder than ever now. Despite how they'd fought, Usagi loved her daughter. How cruel it really was that after seeing what the future held it was all ripped away from her in a single moment.

Giving her some time to get her tortured sobs out, gently stroking her friend's back, Minako asked, "Where will you go?"

Usagi pulled away to face her, opening her mouth then closing it. She knew where she wanted to go, but…

"Don't worry about us. There haven't been many attacks lately. We can handle them ourselves. We don't need you." Her friend spoke.

Usagi looked taken aback. Minako laughed lightly, elaborating. "You work too hard. These youma aren't even worth your time."

Usagi gave her a small smile and hugged her. Separating, she put her hand upon her cross.

"I want to see my brother."

* * *

><p>She had already sent him a text message to give him some warning of her arrival. She knew he wouldn't mind. He'd always dropped everything to accommodate her no matter how she told him she didn't want to burden him.<p>

She stared down at her phone in her hand, lying lazily on her lap. She knew he'd question the message even if he had only replied with his usual 'Alright'.

* * *

><p>Uryuu tossed the message around in his head. There was only a slight difference, but it left him wondering nonetheless. Usagi always ended her messages with a heart—as corny as it sounds—but she never left him a message without one. The absence of the icon was troubling. He knew she was not her usual bubbly self.<p>

He set about making sure her room was ready for her. Truthfully, it was always made up for her, despite her lack of occupancy. All the room really needed was a bit of dusting.

She had asked him to keep this room simple; she didn't have it decorated with the animals that gave her own room its innocent façade. The colors, shades of blue and white, were flat with no stripes or other variations. The bedspread was the same. The only thing offsetting the décor was a tiny pink bunny sewn into the corner of her pillow.

Uryuu's hand ran across the pink stitching. He'd put it there more for himself than for her. The minuscule rabbit made him think of his sister, and a smile came to his face every time he looked at it.

The truth was he loved his sister more than life. Things were always a bit awkward when he'd visit her. Since their parents had split and split them as well, it was strange coming in contact with his mother and her new husband. Then there was _his_ son, Shingo. That boy got on Uryuu's nerves without trying. Usagi made his stay worthwhile though; she'd take him away from them, someplace only she knew, and he'd show her the new powers he'd mastered.

Usagi could have been a Quincy, but she rejected the idea. Not the way their father had but because she said she hated fighting. Uryuu felt there was something she wasn't telling him when he told her that he could train her, but she said she was content with being able to sense reiatsu and see Hollows. She would dismiss him every time he'd tell her those things would not protect her.

But if it cost him his life, he would.

* * *

><p>Having placed her phone back inside her bag, Usagi dug the tips of her shoes in the sand, idly swaying on the swing she occupied. She drew her eyes up, away from the dirt. For the briefest moment she could have sworn she'd seen a person floating above a nearby building. Upon closing her eyes and looking again, there was nothing there. Yet, the feeling of being watched still lingered.<p>

Looking around the park, the only other people around were a group of kids playing soccer and a mother with her young son. The toddler happily tossed the sand from the sandbox out onto the grass, babbling, while his mother laughed and tried to avoid the projectile dust.

Usagi smiled a tiny forlorn smile. 'Chibi-Usa…'

"_Concentrate, Princess."_

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, this might have been a bit short, but the next chapter is ready to be posted. However, I think I'll wait to see what you guys thought about this part, sound good? Sorry for any errors! As always your reviews are greatly appreciated.<strong>


	2. Past Truth

Alright, chapter two. Let tell you from here on out, if any of the Spanish used in here is wrong...I'm so so sorry. I took Spanish in high school but unfortunately didn't keep up with it. Now all I have to go off of is the internet, and we all know that that is _sooo_ reliable. There isn't much of it in this chapter at all, but if it arises, you've been warned.

* * *

><p>"<em>Concentrate, Princess." <em> A voice above a whisper resounded in her head.

Her vision blurred suddenly, and she nearly lost her balance in her seat. Firmly gripping the swing to stable herself, all sound vanished from the park. Her surroundings had changed to a place she found familiar, yet every time she was brought back here it was still a bit of a shock. This was not like the times before, however. It seemed like a pre-recorded video,and she was only now witnessing it.

The throne room of the Moon Kingdom greeted her when her sight cleared. Her mother sat on her throne as a portrait of pure grace, Aphrodite took up the seat next to her. The Queen of Venus certainly lived up to her reputation as the 'Goddess of Love and Beauty'.

"_I'm sorry Mother. I did not mean to interrupt. I was told you wished to speak with me." Usagi heard a voice much like her own speak. It was strange how much formality was used between mother and daughter; but it was a different time, and they were royalty._

_Queen Serenity looked up from her conversation, gazing upon her with a smile._

"_Serenity it's time for your lessons with the new tutor. He is waiting." She spoke in a gentle tone with a hint of finality. "And give this one a chance."_

_"Yes, Mother." Bowing, Serenity left the older royals to their conversing, but Usagi saw what her past hadn't._

"'_He'? How exotic." The Venutian Queen quipped with an amused smile. _

_"I believe him to be most qualified." Queen Serenity answered with a mysterious glint in her eyes._

_"I should hope so. The previous one lasted merely two weeks." The two women shared a laugh but somehow knew this one would turn out._

_The Moon had males, most assuredly; however none of them had been teachers to the royal children. Most were part of the army or engineers, fighting and working side by side with the women._

_This particular tutor was from Earth, and 'qualified' he was. Where other tutors had given up on waiting for the young princess to even turn up for lessons, he would seek her out. He'd found her every hiding place with little effort. She learned quick enough that her little practical jokes, which most unruly students play at least once, would get no where with him as they would backfire on her. Needless to say, she only tried once._

_Abruptly, the scene changed. She entered the library, where all tutoring sessions had taken place, but not everything was clear. There was a haze swirling about, hiding most things, but she could see the outline of the desk and shelves of books behind it. She saw a slightly shadowed figure standing before the desk, a book in hand._

Not a second after his greeting of 'Welcome Princess.' did the vision cut forward. This time she could hear but couldn't see. The white haze was at its thickest.

"_You're Captain_ _Ilforte's brother_." _The princess remarked._

"_That is correct. My name is—" A voice spoke, but faded off before finishing the introduction._

Another shift. Suffice it to say, Usagi was a bit irritated by the suddenness even in her trancelike state.

_His hand rose lazily, subtly moving his fingers as if feeling for something; his wrist flicked swiftly, and a strangled squeal sounded from a hedge to his left._

_He strode away toward the bushes, returning with a still screeching white rabbit. It was obvious its leg was broken from the way it dangled out of place and the stream of red staining its fur._

"_That's barbaric." Serenity pinned her teacher with a glare._

"_Reduce the damage, Princess." He replied, holding the shrieking creature closer to her._

Usagi felt her stomach churn in her past and present selves. This time when the swirling mists set in, she was grateful. The last she saw were Serenity's shaking hands slowly placing themselves above the injured animal. She knew what was going to happen; healing wasn't anything new to her anymore.

"_You're late." He stood with his back to her, staring down at multiple papers upon the desk._

"_I'm not late; you're early." She responded in a level voice; unlike previous times where she had run to her lessons, arriving out of breath and, unfortunately, still late._

"_To arrive on time is to arrive late." He still kept his back to her. Apparently, now that she knew he'd find her and had given up hiding, he'd employed a rule to improve her punctuality…and it seemingly hadn't taken just yet._

"_I'm sorry. I was…detained." Serenity didn't go into detail, her eyes focused on the floor._

"_Your excuse is lacking, Princ—" His body turned, and his voice trailed off. Usagi could feel the man's eyes on her._

"_Can you help me? He's commanded I wear it." Serenity held out a necklace of diamonds of enviable size, it would be a miracle if she could breathe wearing it._

"_Certainly." His voice seemed a bit off to her, although this was the first time Usagi had ever heard it._

_She could feel the warmth of his hands as he nimbly clasped the chain. Chills erupted over her skin at the sensation of his fingers grazing her neck and slowly running down her spine. It was an inviting feeling she wished would never go away._

"_Ah, there you are. You look absolutely ravishing." A familiar voice and equally familiar face broke into her vision, and that pleasant warmth left her. Mamoru…Endymion. He strode up to her, coming inescapably close, and spared a hateful glare for the man behind her from over her shoulder. He stooped low to whisper something in Serenity's ear. A profuse blush spread across her face. Usagi was glad she was spared hearing what had been said, which she could only assume had been something lewd and suggestive. She could have sworn she felt an odd sensation coming from the scholar standing behind her-almost loathsome-if she didn't know any better, it seemed there was bad blood between the two men. _

"_Come, your mother wants to see you." Endymion took her hand forcefully, leading her out to the throne room. The lesson for today was long forgotten._

The scene changed again, and Usagi was interested as to what her mother had to tell her.

Expecting to see the queen's face once again, something she enjoyed seeing, she soon found that wasn't her destination.

_Alone she sat on a swing like she was now, looking out over the multitudes of flowers; all planted in well thought out patterns, all in full bloom and beautiful._

"_Out alone? Where are your attendants?" The voice of the man she called teacher sounded from behind._

"_This is my garden. I do not need them here." Serenity kept her head turned from him in attempts to keep the wet trails down her cheeks concealed. The slight stuffiness of her voice must have given her away. A hand came around, gently lifting her chin to make her look at him. He need not ask the question as the answer was ready to pour from her lips._

"_She has promised me to him—announced it to the entire court! I can't! I can't marry him! I won't survive." There was silence, yet she could tell he was listening. Taking a breath, she calmed herself. "I'm sorry. I don't wish to burden you with my problems. Pitiful little princess…I couldn't ask you to understand. You couldn't possibly know how I feel."_

"_Couldn't I?" He replied._

Usagi felt there was more to this moment. What had happened after that? That contemptible haze denied her access to the man's reaction, but she felt a warmth in her heart and a sudden longing. A familiar sensation danced across her lips.

_The next bit of the sequence led her outside a door. She was rushing it quickly, turning the handle, and pushing it forward with no apprehension. She stared down the room's occupant._

_Her teacher turned to her at her sudden intrusion, his upper half bare. No lady of breeding would behave in such a manner, but she ignored all the rules of poise and refinement. Usagi could feel a sense of anger in her past self._

"_What is this?" Serenity did not yell but was near that volume. Usagi could see and practically feel the piece of parchment in her hand._

"_My letter of resignation." His voice came out in a nonchalant tone._

"_You're leaving?" Clearly he had fared far better than any other instructor; she hadn't pushed him to his wits' end._

"_You are hardly in need of my services anymore, Princess."_

"_What do you mean? I have so __**much**__ more to learn! You cannot leave! You-" _

"_Shhh" He cut her off, putting a finger to her lips, and whispered."What more could I teach you?"_

_Removing the obstructive digit, Serenity grasped his hand. She gently kissed each finger before placing his hand on her heart, she moved to cup his cheek with her free hand. Serenity stared at the man before her, taking in and memorizing his every feature._

"_You're perfect" she whispered nearly inaudibly, looking deep in his eyes. "Don't ever leave me."_

"_I'm not going anywhere, Coneja." Serenity gave him a perplexed look. "Rabbit." He clarified._

_Serenity smiled, throwing herself in his arms. Tenderly, he tilt her chin upward. Usagi could feel her lips tingle as if the kiss the two shared was happening to her now. She'd kissed Mamoru before, but this was, as some might say, magical._

_Serenity pulled away, gazing at the look in his eyes. The same feelings swam in their depths as in hers. She took hold of his hand once more, timidly leading him to his bed._

"_Teach me." She spoke in a soft command. He seemed all too happy to oblige, picking her up bridal style, and gently setting her down upon the mattress before joining her._

This the mist did not decide to censor. As squeamish as the topic usually made her, Usagi was enrapt of every movement and every touch.

One more switch; this place was unfamiliar to her.

_The room looked old and abandoned for some time. Serenity peered through the darkness, her lips moved mutely to call out a name. Usagi could only assume it was his. For the second time, she was not allowed to hear it._

_He appeared from the shadows, and the princess embraced him. The 'mute button' switched off, and Usagi could hear the happiness in her counterpart's voice.._

"_I'm so glad I found you. I wanted to tell you that I'm—" Serenity exclaimed in excitement, stopping suddenly to seemingly follow his gaze. Usagi once again felt a sense of loathing from him._

"_Take him." A blond man ordered, a mixed expression on his face. Two soldiers came around him, forcibly removing her from the man in her arms._

"_Captain, what's going on? What are you doing?" Serenity asked frantically before a new voice cut in._

"_Beloved, there you are." Endymion wrapped an arm around her shoulders, crushing her to his side._

"_What are you doing to him?" Serenity tried to push herself from him, staring wide-eyed as several guards tied her tutor's arms to the room's opposite walls, each taking turns to beat him._

"_He will learn the penalty for stepping outside of his station." He detached himself from her in a rough manner, taking steps toward the bound man._

"_Stop this! I order you!" She screamed. Most of the guards ignored her, others laughed. _

_"NO!" She lunged forward, attempting to knock out the fiancee she'd had imposed upon her. No good came of it, he caught the hand meant to strike him and picked her up with little trouble. _

"_Perhaps it would be better if you stay outside, Dear." Endymion unceremoniously dropped her outside the door, forcing the lock in place, yet through the bars of the small window she would witness his every punishment._

"_I warned you once to stay away from her." The Earth Prince growled, effectively landing a blow to the man's face at the last word. The man was her tutor, it wouldn't be practical to teach her from a distance."I know what you did to her."_

_Endymion held the man by the mouth, turning his head back to face him._

"_She enjoyed it." He managed to force out through the prince's hold on his face._

"_What was that?" Endymion stooped lower to hear his words._

"_She enjoyed it." His answer came out louder this time, and despite the seize on his mouth, spat in the prince's face._

"_Sew it shut." Endymion yelled, removing his grasp to wipe off the offensive substance. _

_Each guard -save one- rushed in, took hold of the man's head and followed their command; weaving a thick strand of thread through his lips which were being held in a pursed position to give the one weaving the needle better access. _

_The most painful screams Usagi couldn't even describe resonated in the chamber, muffled, yet not ignorable, at the beginning, during, and once the process was complete. If covering her ears would have done anything to drown out his horrifying cries, she would have done so. Unfortunately, as they had echoed off the walls, they had echoed in her mind; her heart had been torn to pieces with each reverberation._

"_Ilforte." The blond snapped to attention at the call of his name. He'd watched the whole event with pity and cold indifference battling each other in his eyes._

"_Sire." Ilforte followed his prince's hand with his gaze as he reached to his belt. Endymion took hold of the captain's dagger, slowly drawing it from the sheath. _

"_He is your younger brother, no?" He asked, fingering the blade in his hands._

"_Yes." Ilforte eyed him warily._

"_Pity." The prince locked stares with his captain, and with no more words slashed him across his throat. _

_Bringing the blade up to inspect it once again, he commented,"Remarkable craftsmanship." He rubbed his fingers together, feeling the crimson liquid sliding between them. He focused his attention back to the matter at hand. Sauntering over to his prisoner, the guards giving way to him, he brought the weapon to the man's eye level. _

_The vision went silent again, cutting off unexpectedly. _

_Painstakingly slow, drawing out the torment, he carved four lines down his left eye. Blood mixed with the tears already flowing down the man's face. Usagi could see his horrific attempts to scream from the pain undoubtably wracking his body, watching more blood drain from him as his screams pulled at every stitch._

Now she welcomed the fog. Her stomach was threatening to empty. Distantly, she could hear her name being called.

_Usagi..._

"USAGI!"

Usagi blinked for the first time in what may have been five minutes, she couldn't be sure, but she most definitely felt the sting upon closing her eyes. Opening them again, she noticed her body was shaking, and her grasp on the chain of the swing had left a deep, painful imprint in her skin.

"Usagi? Are you alright?" The cat asked in a hushed voice, although, as Usagi had noticed, the people who'd been in the park with her were now gone. Had she been talking along with her vision this whole time? Or, more importantly, had she been screaming?

"None of it was true." Her voice was a stranger to her; a sudden surge of anger had arisen from inside. Luna stayed silent, taken aback by the sudden outburst. Just what had Usagi seen?

"Every part of my past was a lie." Usagi turned her gaze to her, sharply. "He died, didn't he?" Luna didn't answer, she now knew full well what she had been shown. Usagi hit her with another question. Although, she already knew the answer. "Am I wrong?"

Giving in to the intense stare fixed on her, Luna answered. "The Moon Kingdom was destroyed, yes. It happened exactly as you were shown, and the Earth Prince did love you; despite what you'd believe. He did try to protect you. He—"

"Luna." Usagi sighed, exasperated.

"Your love for Endymion was a collection of false memories. Your mother wanted what was best for you."

"Best for me? How could she make that judgment? I was in love and she took him away."

"I can assure you she had nothing to do with such a plot." Luna exclaimed in defense of the queen.

"By not saving him, leaving him there to suffer," Usagi paused, looking off in the distance, continuing in a whisper, "she killed him as well."

Such pain, she couldn't imagine it, but it had happened. It happened to a man she once loved, and despite never knowing about him until now, it weighed heavily on her. Why now? She had been shown the real past, but what could possibly come of it? Her love died, and even if he was sent to the future as they had been, she had no idea who he was or even what he looked like.

"I never saw his face." She spoke up suddenly, still staring off at the horizon.

"Not once?" Luna seemed truly confused. 'What do you have in store for her now, Queen Serenity?'

Usagi slowly shook her head. It wasn't entirely true, for she had seen the needle weaving through his lips. A new churning alighted in her stomach. Only that area of his face was ever shown to her. She saw the blood run down the left side of his face where his eye would be, yet never did she see his eyes. She didn't see everything as her past self saw, although she was seeing things through her eyes; it was as if she was not meant to see him. Or, perhaps, only for now.

Yet she'd felt his lips on hers. She'd felt his hands exploring her body, and she'd never wished for him to stop. It hadn't repulsed her as it had when Mamoru had tried. The truth was she was scared to take that next step. If her friends would talk about sex she would tune them out as best she could and hide her blushing face so they wouldn't see. There was no restraint with this man though. She'd wanted him, wanted him enough to make the first move.

Usagi finally gave her attention to the cat who'd stood by, waiting, silently and patiently.

"Why are you following me?" She asked. To which, the black feline replied.

"Usagi you know I can't leave you alone."

"You've never followed me to Karakura before." Usagi gave her a questioning look.

"I sense evil here." Luna scanned the area with her eyes. Usagi was about to respond, Luna beat her to it. "Much bigger than Hollows."

"I know, Luna." Usagi didn't quite care for her guardian's motherly tone, she already had her mother for that. "I can sense it, too, but don't worry. I have Uryuu."

_"_You can't put all of your faith in him, Usagi. He can't protect you from everything." Luna bit. A flame danced in Usagi's eyes.

"He is my brother, and I will put every faith I have in him!" Usagi's shoulders slumped, immediately sorry for yelling at her. She continued with a sigh, "I know he can't protect me from all things. I shouldn't expect him to. I'm just weak…I don't want to fight anymore."

Luna looked upon her princess with sadness, she didn't wish for her to fight either. It was just an inevitability. She had watched her grow over the years, and though she still had her moments, she had a grace about her that was unrivaled. "Usagi."

The blonde stared down at her and gave her a tear-filled smile, "Go home, Luna. Watch over everyone else. I'll be back soon." Usagi then turned away, waiting for the feline to leave.

Feeling she had, after a few moments, she began to lazily swing back and forth again, slightly higher than before. She did so for only a minute or two before letting the swing's momentum finally wear down; her legs no longer pumping, her feet sometimes grazing the ground below.

A gloved hand took hold of one of the chains, bringing the swing to a final, yet uneven, halt. Usagi jumped up at the sound of a new voice.

"You should listen to your friend." The stranger spoke, still holding the swing's chain. "Interesting thing, this talking feline of yours." His opposite arm rose up with said cat in hand, slumped in a seemingly unconscious state. Usagi's eyes widened in horror.

"What have you done to her?" For all she knew, Luna could be dead.

The man raised a pale eyebrow, "Nothing that can't be reversed, I assure you."

Was Luna meant to be used as some sort of bargaining chip? Then he was here for her, just as all of their other male enemies had been. Not every one of them was solely after the Ginzuishou. As complimentary as it was, they must have found something attractive about her, but she wished they'd leave her alone. Besides, she thought she had nothing on her friends, despite how they would all 'fight' over who was the prettiest.

Usagi sagged in defeat. She didn't want to fight, and she had a feeling she couldn't win against him anyway.

"What do you want?" Her tone was flat; staring him in the eye, she was fed up with the proceedings of today. He only gave her a grin.

"You're already participating."

Usagi suddenly noticed the new weight upon her wrist. Raising her arm eye level, she inspected the bracelet she found now encircled her forearm.

"What is this?"

* * *

><p>Ah, well, hope you guys enjoyed it. Any OOC-ness on a certain person who is supposed to be (kind of) a mystery yet is because that was him in the past and I can't seem to get his personality down in the present time (or at least that's how I see it). Again, I apologize for that and any other mistakes.<p> 


	3. One Going, One Gone

**Sorry for the wait...this just got set on the back burner in my mind for a while. Hopefully I can get back on track. ^^;**

* * *

><p>"What is this?" She asked, her voice cracking. He gave a sort of satisfied smile at the shock registered on her face.<p>

_"This _is my new experiment." His hand entangled in his hair. He seemed very pleased with himself. "This device will render your existence nearly eradicated. You will be surrounded by a special reimaku, a spiritual shell, if you will. Only the Arrancar and higher beings like myself, will be able to recognize your presence."

'Arrancar?' Usagi's mind was having trouble processing, but she knew this was the disturbing power she and Luna had sensed earlier.

"Wearing this will also grant you the ability to perforate matter. Although I must tell you," Seeing the defiance starting to form in her eyes, his countenance took on a serious look she did not wish to cross, "taking it off will have considerably dire consequences."

The sick humor returned to his eyes as the horror dancing in her own intensified. Once again, the corners of his mouth turned upward in a twisted smile.

"I almost forgot, you may only say 'good-bye' to one person. However, should they realize the situation, you will have violated my orders, and your life will be forfeit. I will give you freedom until midnight. By that time, I'll expect you to have returned here." He continued as if this were all some game. Of course, to him, it was. Usagi turned back again, quickly finding he was no longer there. She ran a hand through her bangs. She couldn't control the way her body was shaking.

Say goodbye to one person…how does one do that? She had so many people she lived for; how could she choose? Instead of continuing on her original intended route, she turned back the way she had come.

A sudden thought struck her. What exactly had he seen? What did he know about her? If he had been watching, even in these somewhat peaceful times, he knew her secret. Usagi's stomach felt weighed down with rocks. Her conflicting emotions kept her from running around aimlessly trying to find each of her friends, and not knowing much about this new enemy, she couldn't know if he was watching her now. If that were possible, she knew better than to spout out too much information about herself or her crystal. The possibility was still there that he had only chosen her because people don't usually converse with cats … and have them reply.

* * *

><p>She was face to face with the door she'd walked through everyday for the past six years. Her hand reached for the knob, stopping before her fingertips grazed the metal. Six years of walking through here, and today she could literally do just that.<p>

She breathed in. Slowly, tentatively, with her arm outstretched, she pushed through the wooden aperture, phasing through like one cuts through butter. She'd shut her eyes as her face would have made contact with what should have been solid wood while her mind replayed a frightening yet humorous situation of her backside getting stuck midway through, and she would have to remain there for eternity. She firmly stepped both feet together on the other side, exhaling, turning to give the door one more look.

"That wasn't so hard." She spoke out loud but to no one as footsteps came her way.

"Bye Mom. Be back in a few hours!"

Turning just in time, Usagi saw Shingo's form walking towards her. His soccer ball was slung over his shoulder, secured safely in its bag. Without a moments hesitation, concentrating on this new 'skill', just as she'd done with the door, her step brother passed right through her. Dazed, Usagi breathed out, she'd felt invisible a few times in her life but this took the feeling somewhere beyond. Having someone physically walk through you was kind of disturbing.

Walking farther into the household, she caught the usual sight of her mother at the stove, making supper for the family. She put her entire heart into each meal she prepared for them, as if it was all that she lived for. Usagi knew better. It wasn't the kindness she gave that mattered to her, it was the love and joy she received. Her mother craved the devotion deep down. Perhaps that was why she married Kenji. He was always around, always showing affection, always smiling.

He was a kind man with good intentions, yet somehow he incessantly annoyed her. He seemed to try get in even terms with her, but Usagi couldn't let him in. His over-protective nature did more to push her away than keep her near.

Was it bitterness? She had her own father. She didn't have a need for another. Ryuuken Ishida was not as much an open book as Kenji Tsukino. However, something had to have drawn her mother to him…at least for a time. Both men had the business look, so the competition in the looks department was nearly an even match. Bias would make her side with her father there. Both men could provide for their families, her mother never had to work outside their home. There it stood again that her mother craved devotion. When Kenji comes home, he'll openly hug and kiss his wife, commencing the recounting of their day, and she'll fix him a snack. It hadn't been that way with her father. He was more reserved, public displays of affection were kept short as was most conversation. Usagi wondered if they'd ever even talked when they were alone. It all seems like it was doomed from the start, looking back at all the pieces; although she wasn't a relationship expert. Her mother was happy now, and it was all she could do to be happy for her.

Secretly though, she vowed that she would see a smile on her father's face. The one time she could remember him smiling at her was a bit vague and distorted now, but it was one of her fondest memories.

Taking the stairs one-by-one, she made her way to her bedroom for the second time today in a peculiar emotional state. The first time her face was covered in tears. This time she was a jumble of feelings, but moreover enlightened. She was thinking over things and noticing things she'd never taken time to before. Her mother had taken great care in decorating each room and hallway; not a picture out of place, no corner specked with dust.

Shingo really was a sports nut. She finally took a moment to look over the half-dozen little trophies upon the shelf over his bed and the team photos on his dresser. Usagi had always assumed he was only an annoying video game nerd-always playing the Sailor V game, offhandedly making the remark that he wished he could meet "the real Sailor V".

'If only he knew.' She thought, a small smile coming to her face.

Still walking, she entered her room. She could always find solace here. Those very bunnies she'd looked upon earlier seemed to smile at her, and she felt somewhat at ease. Glancing closer, she saw the slightest semblance of stitch-work on various parts of the stuffed toys. She could have laughed. Uryuu clearly didn't inherit the gift of sewing from their mother's side, as neither she nor Usagi had the talent for it. She couldn't imagine her father breaking out into such theatrics as her brother, but perhaps he had learned from Grandfather.

"Grandfather…" Her mind began to wander back to the times she'd spent staring into the kindest eyes in the world as he helped her refine the small skill she had obtained as a Quincy. To call such a man only 'Grandpa' didn't seem fitting. He deserved every kind of respect she could give.

Distracted, her hand brushed over the locket upon her nightstand, knocking it to the ground. The familiar tune started to plink out, and her breath caught in her throat. It was a gift that had meant so much to her and often helped her fall asleep when she'd had a particularly bad day.

It was a gift from _him_. There had been four men in her life she'd loved with all her heart, and one of them decided to break it. Stooping down to grab the item, she watched the crescent moon circle around as the melody continued. Usagi gripped it tight as the song stopped, the shell closing.

She thought it over again. Who could she possibly say goodbye to?

Usagi stood, looking at where she should have seen herself in her mirror. There were so many people she loved. Now she may never see any of them again. She could imagine her reflection looking flushed as her mind raced. She wanted to say goodbye to her mother, and, as much as she hated to admit it, Kenji and Shingo. She wanted to say goodbye to Motoki. Who knows how many hours she spent at the arcade playing games, laughing with him, and, well, pigging out? He put up with all of it. Then there was Naru and Gurio, whom their classmates had dubbed 'Melvin'-an assumed 'geeky' english name' for the studious boy. Both of them had added a certain quality to her life with their misadventures together.

She had too many friends, and it seemed not a one of them was more important to her than another.

Ami, the smart one, could always get her out of a jam whether it be mathematics or targeting an enemy's weak point.

Makoto kept her tummy full and her heart warm. She had a nice way of making her feel protected when she broke out into her martial arts even if the situation seemed futile.

Rei…ah, the temperamental priestess. Usagi smiled. No matter how they fought, her raven-haired friend's criticism helped her grow. Although her harsh words could lead one to believe their friendship was only a fleeting thing, Rei had many times proven she would give anything to keep her safe.

Minako, her love-obsessed second in command and only person she really told about her issues with her parents' divorce.

It wasn't that she couldn't tell the others, it just seemed she was the one it all spilled out with. To be honest, she wouldn't be surprised if the others had forgotten she had another family. The first time she'd told her blonde friend about them she had asked if her brother was available, which made Usagi laugh, forgetting some of her worries. She would unload her problems and Minako allowed her to without bringing up her own problems; as if it was her duty to listen to everything. How could she be so selfless? Usagi loved that quality about her. Minako, whom many had mistaken as her sister, was always willing to help those in need. She was a true heroine.

They had always been there, fighting beside her, making her strong. Yet, so had he.

Mamoru…somehow he would show up at the right moment and give her the reassurance she needed. Circumstances had led them to where they were now, but the time they'd shared together was still engrained in her mind. It still made her heart want to keep beating to be loved like that. So many times their love was tested, and yet, they made it through.

The window beside her bed open with a small squeak that made her jump, nonetheless. The familiar sight suddenly brought a fresh spring of tears to her eyes. A slightly ruffled black feline with an upturned crescent moon on her forehead snuck through the opening, carefully jumping onto the bed. Luna breathed a bit heavily, looking around the room, expecting to see the girl she'd looked after for years-in past and present. An expression exuding failure spread across her features as tears came to her own eyes. Usagi desperately reached out to hold her, stopping mid-step, realizing she couldn't be heard nor seen. Her guardian couldn't hear her call her name. Usagi had always felt when she held Luna that she was being embraced in return, and she longed for that feeling right now. If she were to hold her now, she'd only frighten her. Still she wished she could console her distraught pet…guardian… friend.

She'd been there all along, Usagi saved her from the group of kids picking and prodding at her, never knowing that from that day on her life would be vastly different. Luna had given her her first brooch and awakened her powers. She trained her, making her less and less a crybaby. She had so much to thank the feline for, yet she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Perhaps it would be best to distance herself from all of them. If she would give herself up freely maybe they would all be spared this pain. Backing away, with a final glance, she turned back to her dresser, grasping for an item which always lie there.

She hadn't given it much thought before she had flopped down on her bed earlier today, but she had glimpsed its usual resting spot, noting in the back of her mind its absence. Her brooch was gone.

'That little spore probably took it.' Usagi looked up. 'Little spore…Chibi-Usa. Where is she?'

Thinking back on it, she hadn't seen her all day. Normally she would tag along or have already been around when Usagi would visit Mamoru. Could she have heard him denounce her and run off? Usagi hadn't sensed her presence at all, although she had been in the process of having her heart torn out at the time.

She noticed the sun had just set, her time was whittling down. Of all things, she should have thought about the girl masquerading as her cousin first. If she was still around then that meant she may still have a future. Turning swiftly on her heel, she sped out of her room. If there was one place she would go, it was Mamoru's apartment. Daughter or not, he was always accommodating to the youngster.

* * *

><p>Phasing through doors and other tenants, with more confidence than her first attempt but still hesitant, she made it to his door, taking a deep breath. Just as she suspected to see when she passed through, the floor was uncluttered save for the boxes containing his belongings. He seemed all ready for his trip. He must have been planning for a while but only brought it up today. Usagi then notice the familiar shape of a clasp sticking out from one such box. She knew what it was and also knew that this brassiere was not hers. As much as she wished it were not true, Mamoru was a man, and his <em>needs<em> were much more mature than her own.

Tearing her gaze away from the undergarment, she looked around for any sign of her daughter. Neither hide nor hair of the girl could be found. However disheartening it might have been, it didn't say for sure Chibi-Usa was gone. There were other places she could look. Starting for the door, she bumped into something and fell-hard. Standing above her, the perplexed visage of her now ex-boyfriend stared down at her. Could he see her?

The small fantasy inside her that imagined him seeing her now, embracing her, taking her back and protecting her from this whole ordeal went up in flames as he scanned the room for whatever it was he'd run into. Her heart tore again; a little from the reaction he gave and much more from the item in his hands. Held loosely, Usagi came up about eye level with Luna P, the kitty-shaped ball that had followed Chibi-Usa from the future. Could she actually be around in the apartment? Could it be-

"Kid left her toy here." Mamoru spoke to the empty room. Kid? Never had he called Chibi-Usa 'kid', not even when they had no idea who she was. To hear him speak so detachedly of her was like a new wound in her heart. If she was not here, Usagi had no reason to stay. It was really true, they were officially broken up, and she couldn't see any way she could forgive him. She looked him over one last time, replacing the 'man she once loved' with 'just some guy she knew'.

She was about to leave, going to try a new place, when a sudden beeping stopped her in her tracks. Mamoru looked at his watch.

"11:30 already, huh?" He sighed making his way to the bathroom, preparing for bed. Usagi's eyes widened.

"It can't be!" She started running, once again utilizing the new ability from the bracelet. She'd be lucky to get to the park on time. As it was his stipulation, who knew what this stranger- this arrancar?- would do to her if she was late.

She could have sworn this was the fastest she'd ever run even compared to racing to get the school, although, she'd preferred to be running away from there. She'd long since given up on dodging people, it only slowed her down. Regardless, the need for air was too much to bear. Slouched, with her hands on her knees, she greedily breathed in and out to level out her breathing. She realized only a moment soon enough that she had stopped in the street not the sidewalk. Trapped in the headlights, still invisible, she braced for impact, watched in horror as instead of being flattened she was run through without any pain. The experience, however, was still terrifying. With a hand at her heart, she paused, safely on the sidewalk, before running at breakneck speed again.

* * *

><p>Ready to collapse, she panted. Usagi leaned against the swing set for support. She didn't know what time it was now-if she was late or early-but there was no sign of that strange man.<p>

"You're right on time." His peculiar sing-songish voice resonated from the opposite support pipes of the swings. He wore the same twisted smile on his face. It made her wonder what he hid behind those eyes. "I trust you've said your 'good-byes'."

Usagi glared, still breathing heavily. He was toying with her, a cat and its very own mouse. With a hint of a laugh, he snapped his fingers. The very fabric of space seemed to tear open to reveal an ominous dark abyss. To say she was scared now would have been an understatement.

"Shall we?" This whole situation seemed to amuse him.

It was getting harder to breathe again, her mind was racing again. No, she hadn't said good-bye. Not to anyone. Her friends, her family; she hadn't been able to decide. She had never gotten to see Uryuu, and the one person she was wishing to see more than any other at that moment had all but disappeared! This one day had been more disorienting and nightmarish than any or all of their battles prior. She was being taken away and no one knew about it. She'd depended on them before in situations like this, but this time there were no Sailor Scouts, no Tuxedo Mask, and no Quincy by the name of Uryuu Ishida to save her.

The stress and strain of the day's events were catching up to her. Her vision clouded once again before giving way to darkness. Her body collapsed to the ground, knocking up a small puff of dust. Her now captor lifted her up effortlessly, seemingly unaffected by her reaction, as if expecting it, and stepped through the opening before closing it behind him.

* * *

><p>He'd taken upon himself the mission to test his device before handing it over the Lord Aizen for his purposes. Not that he believed it wouldn't work, but one must test these things. He couldn't entrust it to anyone but himself. Most of them lacked the capacity to understand its properties anyway.<p>

Something about her had caught his eye before he'd witnessed her speaking with her cat. Holding up the necklace in his hand, he knew quite well what the artifact was. The silver cross, inlaid with blue and encircled by a crescent moon, dangled by a silver chain. This cross: a Quincy relic.

How lucky would he be to have a Quincy in his reach for his research? Yet it struck him odd that she would not even attempt to fight for her freedom.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this one, and once again, I'm sorry for the delay. There isn't too much action so far but I intend to change that soon.<strong>

**So perhaps next time we'll 'learn' who this 'stranger' is. That is to say, if you don't know already. Haha**

**For any grammar/spelling etc. mistakes I also apologize. :)**


End file.
